Detachable cover for paper bound books



Patented July 10, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DETACHABLE COVER FOR PAPER BOUND BOOKS Application June 22, 1932, Serial No. 618,596

2 Claims.

This invention relates to detachable protective covers for paper bound books such as, for example, telephone directories, and more particularly to protective covers of skeleton form which will 5 expose to view information and advertising printed on the cover, binding and edges of the book.

Telephone directories and other books which are cheaply bound usually with paper or other soft covers and binding, often carry advertising on the binding and the outer sides of the covers as well as the edges of the leaves. Heretofore most protective or reinforcing covers for direc tories and the like have concealed the advertising and information printed on the covers of the soft bound book proper as well as upon the back of the binding.

It is an object of our invention to provide a simple, inexpensive, decorative and efficient protective cover which may be very quickly attached to paper bound or other soft bound books and which will expose to view substantially the entire cover proper of the book (front and back) as well as the back of the binding.

It is a further object to provide such a cover of the class described which will be strong and durable and which will comprise ornamental frames disposed over the front and back of the book cover proper preferably having transparent sheets through which printed matter on the cover proper may be viewed as well as having a viewing aperture disposed at the rear of the binding.

These and other objects and advantages of the 35 invention will be more fully set forth in the following description made in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which like reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views and in which:-

Fig. l is a perspective view showing an embodiment of our invention applied to a conventional telephone directory;

Fig. 2 is an inside plan view of our protective cover detached and disposed in open position;

Fig. 3 is a cross section of our cover shown in its normal closed position with the book however removed, and

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary plan view with the front of the cover disposed in vertical position showing a satisfactory means for detachably securing the book.

The embodiment of our cover illustrated comprises a pair of rectangular frame members A and B for covering and protecting the front and back of the book respectively. The two frame members may comprise rectangular frame cores or strips 5 which are covered with suitable material 6, such as cloth or leather. At one of the longitudinal edges of each of the frame members the covering material is continued or extended to form a longitudinally extending attachment flange 6a which is normally folded against the inner side of the frame and which is utilized for attaching the cover to the book. The covering 6 and flange 6a are constructed of strong material to withstand wear and hard usage and flanges 6a are provided with corresponding apertures through which an internally threaded sleeve 7 may pass, said sleeve having an enlarged head for engaging the apertured portion of the flange and cooperating with a screw 8, the flat head of which engages the corresponding apertured portion of the attachment flange 6a of the other frame member.

The book is provided with a pair of holes adjacent its bound edge and preferably adjacent the corners and it will be seen that the sleeve 7 and screws 8, forming clamping devices, cooperate with the bulk of the book to secure thetwo M frames A and B together. Frames A and B are 8 further connected by means of strong, preferably rigid U-shaped members 9 disposed at the back of the book and adjacent the corners, the inturned flanges of members 9 being preferably apertured to be engaged by the sleeve 7 and being disposed preferably between the attachment flanges 6a and the inner web of the cover which surrounds the frame cores 5.

Frames A and B are preferably covered and contain transparent sheets 10 traversing the apertured central portions thereof, said transparent sheets being preferably constructed of celluloid or other somewhat flexible, transparent material having wearing qualities. The transparent sheets, as shown, are firmly secured to the frames in grooves formed by the binding covers 6 (see Fig. 3). The sheets 10 are preferably disposed substantially flush with the inner surfaces of the frame members A and B, only the thickness of the covering material 6 being interposed between the sheets and the paper or other soft covered book.

In the form shown, the space between the connected longitudinal edges of the two frames is left open to display advertising or printed matter on the binding of the book, although we, of course, contemplate, if desired, the use of a transparent sheet traversing the aperture between the connected edges.

If desired, and as shown, a skeleton pocket or retaining guide 11 may be attached to the inner surface of the front frame A for the purpose of retaining a card or plate upon which printed data may be shown, such as, for example, telephone calls which are important or frequently used. As shown, pocket 11 comprises a U-shaped strip of material stitched or otherwise secured to the inner surface of frame A adjacent its outer edges and of sufficient stiffness so that its inner edges will retain, in cooperation with the frame, a card in proper position to be viewed through the transparent sheet 10. noted that the pocket is open at its top for insertion of the card or plate.

To attach our improved cover to a book, it is only necessary to remove the sleeves '7 of the clamping devices, insert the screws 8 through the apertured portions adjacent the bound edges of the book and replace the sleeves, the same ex-, tending through the attachment flange 6a of the,

The clamping devices may then be .book is visible through the transparent sheets lo'contained in the frame members A and B. Printed material on the back or binding of the book is readily visible through the viewing aperture between the hinged longitudinal edges of the frames A and B.

g It will further be seenthat the frames are connected together in a strong and efficient manner by means of the connection members 9 as well asthrough the cooperation .of the bulk and strength of the bound edges of the book with the clamping elements 7 and 8 and the attachment flanges 6a of the frame covers.

The frames A and B hinge upon the flexible covering material 6 along the edges marked 61) on the drawing and consequently our protective cover, as well as the book secured therein may be readily opened and closed.

It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details, arrangement and proportions of the parts without departing from the scope of our invention.

What is claimed is:-

It W111 be 1. A protective cover for a soft bound book of the type having indicia printed on the front coverand the binding portion thereof, comprising a substantially rigid back cover member, a substantially rigid front cover member in the form of a frame having a relatively large open portion through which indicia on the front cover of the book may be viewed, a transparent sheet traversing said frame and having its inner surface disposed substantially flush with the inner surface of said frame, means for connecting said cover members together with freedom for relative swinging movement therebetween, means for detachably securing a book within said cover, the connection means between said cover members including narrow elements traversing the back edge of a book held in said covers and disposed adjacent the ends of the back edge of the book to define an elongated viewing aperture through which indicia on the binding portion of said book maybe viewed, and flexible sheet material covering said frame, one of the marginal edges of said sheet material underlying said transparent sheet and securing the same to said frame.

2. A protective cover for a soft bound book of the type having indicia printed on the front cover and the binding portion thereof, comprising a substantially rigid back cover member, a substantially rigid front cover member in the form of a frame having a relatively large open portion through which indicia on the front cover of the book may be viewed, a transparent sheet traversing said frame and having its inner surface disposed substantially flush with the inner surface of said frame, means for connecting said cover members together with freedom for relative swinging movement therebetween, means for detachably securing a book within said cover, the connection means between said cover members leaving the binding portion of the book substantially uncovered,- a flexible covering for said frame including a sheet cut in the general shape of said frame having one of its marginal edges wrapped about the inner marginal edge of said frame and having its opposite marginal edge projecting from! said frame and secured to said connection means and also includingv a second sheet underlying said frame and having its inner marginal edge under-lapping said transparent sheet and securing the same to said frame.

LE ROY WELLIVER. WILLARD P. KIMBALL. 

